Colored Contacts Aren't As Harmless As You Think, According To An Eye Doctor

These days, you can buy colored contacts almost as easily as you can buy a new lip tint. And while that convenience makes switching up your look incredibly tempting, it also makes it easy to forget that you're putting a medical(!) device directly on your eye.

That's exactly what eye experts want people to remember. According to Mary Ellen Sy, MD, Cornea and External Eye Disease Consultant at Makati Medical Center's Department of Ophthalmology, wearing cosmetic contact lenses isn't as low-risk as many people think—especially if you don't actually need them for vision correction.

"If your eyes are healthy and you have no refractive error, putting in a contact lens introduces an unnecessary foreign body onto your cornea," Dr. Sy says. "You are accepting all the risks of contact lens wear with absolutely none of the clinical benefit."

If colored contacts are your go-to finishing touch for your GRWM, here's what eye doctors want you to know before you pop in your next pair.

It's easy to lump colored contacts in with lashes, press-on nails, and other beauty accessories. But unlike those products, contact lenses sit directly on your cornea—which means wearing them comes with real medical risks.

Even properly prescribed contact lenses can cause complications like corneal hypoxia, corneal abrasions, chronic inflammation, dry eye, and microbial keratitis, a serious corneal infection caused by bacteria, fungi, or amoebae.

Colored contacts can add another layer of risk. "The colored pigment layer is thicker than a clear lens, which further reduces oxygen transmissibility to the cornea," explains Dr. Sy.

The fit matters, too. Because everyone's corneas are different, contact lenses aren't one-size-fits-all. "If obtained without a prescription, they are never fitted to the individual's corneal curvature and diameter, which creates micro-trauma to the corneal surface," says Dr. Sy.

That's why experts recommend getting professionally fitted before wearing colored contacts—even if you're only wearing them for the aesthetic.

One reason colored contacts have become so popular is how easy they are to find. They're sold in beauty stores, tiangges, and online marketplaces. The problem? Not every seller follows the same safety standards.

According to Dr. Sy, cosmetic contact lenses sold through unverified sources may not undergo proper regulatory oversight, which makes it it difficult for buyers to know whether the materials, pigments, and manufacturing process are safe.

Buying contacts without consulting an eye care professional also means you're missing out on important instructions, like how long you can safely wear them, how to clean and store them properly, and which symptoms should send you straight to the doctor.

"We have seen young, otherwise healthy patients develop corneal ulcers from cosmetic lenses purchased at a market stall," Dr. Sy says. "Some have required corneal transplantation. This is preventable blindness, and that is what makes these cases so heartbreaking."

If your eyes don't feel right after wearing colored contacts (or just plain contacts in general), don't wait it out. Dr. Sy recommends seeking immediate medical attention if you experience:

• Eye pain or worsening discomfort

• Persistent redness after removing your contacts

• Excessive tearing or discharge

• Sensitivity to light

• Blurred or reduced vision

• A feeling that something is stuck in your eye

• White or cloudy spots on your cornea

"Do not wait for symptoms to improve on their own," she says. "Corneal infections can progress from mild irritation to permanent vision loss within 24 to 48 hours."

Loving colored contacts doesn't automatically mean giving them up—it just means treating them the same way you would any other medical device.

Dr. Sy recommends seeing an ophthalmologist or licensed optometrist before wearing cosmetic contacts—even if you have perfect vision. A proper prescription should include the lens brand, base curve, and diameter that's suited to your individual corneal measurements.

She also advises buying contact lenses only from reputable, regulated sellers and following your eye care professional's instructions for wearing, cleaning, storing, and replacing them. Regular eye examinations can also help detect early signs of corneal damage before they become more serious.